1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a closure for optical fiber cable splice, and more particularly relates to a wedge-shaped binding apparatus for an optical fiber cable splice closure that covers the closure for optical fiber cable splice tightly to protect the optical fiber cables connected in the closure from moisture and shock from the outside.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Light communications, constructed with optical fiber cables, can transmit information hundreds of thousands times as much as the conventional electric communications using copper cables. Accordingly, the optical fiber cables are applied so much in the present communications field because they are not affected by any radio waves and magnetic forces from the outside, and the application range of optical fiber cables is increasingly extended to the other related fields. These cables are installed underground or in the air, and can be installed at sea bottom to connect continents with one another or islands with the land. Even it is desired to be installed on uncut cables from the starting point to the terminal point in a body, however, since the line of optical fiber cable is extended to several kilometers or longer, it is required to connect and diverge optical fiber cables at intervals. At this time, it is important to obviate light loss that may occur at the joint of the optical fiber cables and protect the cables from environmental influences to keep the connecting state firm and stable. That is, it is necessary to cover the closure for optical fiber cable splice tightly to protect optical fiber cables connected in closure from moisture, shock and tension from the outside. The conventional closure for optical fiber cable splice is composed of end caps that are to receive optical fiber cables at either end of the closure, the end caps are connected with at least more than one connecting bar so as to endure the tension, a closure cover that surrounds the end caps, and a splicer that connects optical fiber cables, etc.
The closure cover has a slot cut lengthwise that facilitates insertion of optical fiber cables and a binding apparatus therewith that opens the inside of the closure when connecting optical fiber cables and binds the closure after connecting, thus protecting optical fiber cables connected therein from moisture.
As shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b which are perspectives showing conventional closures, the conventional closures are to be classified into two types of configuration in general. One is composed of flanges 22a, formed on the slot cut lengthwise, that become wider up to the center, and cover clips 24a, formed to cover the flanges 22a tightly, that are fixed by binding member 26, as shown in FIG. 1a. The other is composed of a plurality of screw bolts 24b that binds the flanges 22b to cover the closure as shown in FIG. 1b. Reference numeral 12 denotes end caps, having cable insertion holes 14, located at either end of the closure.
Meantime, in the binding apparatus that binds the flanges 22a of the closure cover 20a by means of the cover clips 24a, it is impossible to control strength and weakness of binding force since the cover clips 24a are inserted into the flanges 22a and then fixed only by the binding means 26. In addition, it is difficult to cover the closure cover 20a tightly in case that the cover clips 24a become loose or worn for being handled many times, because the binding force of the binding apparatus becomes weak accordingly. And there is a problem that the closure cover 20a becomes bulky as the cover clips 24a cover the flanges protruded outside.
And in the binding apparatus that binds the flanges 22b of the closure cover 20b with a plurality of screw bolts 24b, the trouble is that the binding apparatus should be bolted with a plurality of screw bolts 24b, and the appearance of the closure is not good due to the complicated screw bolts.